New Year’s Writerly Goals

Happy 2021, my MG friends!

Anyone else excited about having a fresh, clean, slate of months ahead in which to write? There’s nothing quite like looking at the calendar and thinking about all the possibilities a new year has in store.

Now that the holidays have subsided, many of us take time to plan our personal and professional goals for the year ahead.

Here are a few goals I’ve made for my writing in 2021. I’d love to hear yours if you want to add them to the comments below or connect with us on Instagram and share them there. Either way, having a supportive group to hold you accountable goes a long way toward achieving your goals.

2021 Goal #1: Set regular writing time, protect it, and keep it.

Discipline was my friend in 2019. I made a ton of progress in my writerly life. But amidst the general craziness that was last year, my schedule went haywire and momentum went south. Now is the perfect time to re-establish a writing rhythm.

Protecting my writing time boils down to prioritizing. When I worked 8-5, I set aside an hour in the evenings after family time to write. Now, I let my freelance clients know at the beginning of the week what my available “office hours” are and I stick to them.

Having the whole family home 24/7 made boundaries a little challenging at first. Fortunately, that “available office hours” practice I applied to my freelance clients also worked with my husband and son. Obviously if there were an emergency, I would punt work and tend to my family first. (To my son if you’re reading this: Wanting a snack is not an emergency)

In the new year, weekly planning – and sticking to that plan – will be a high priority.

2021 Goal #2: Reconnect with other writers.

Not too long into 2020, I noticed that the more time I spent online and on social media, the more my sense of well-being suffered. As thankful as I am for the technology that allowed me to stay in touch with my family and friends, I reached my limit quickly. By the end of 2020, my practice became to set a timer and check in on a handful of accounts- no scrolling for me.

The downside of this is that the community I’d worked so hard to cultivate on social media began to fall apart. Connection with other writers is important both to learn about our craft and to give and receive encouragement along the journey.

This year, I will include social media time in my weekly plan (see Goal #1), with the aim of rebuilding my community.

2021 Goal #3: Finish the edits and query the books.

This one is straight forward. I have some fun work just sitting here, waiting for those final polishes and queries. It’s past time for me to finish.

2021 Goal #4: Try new things.

I’ve been writing nonfiction for a living in the form of business-to-business marketing and ad writing. When I write books, they’re all middle grade fiction. Nonfiction for kids might be a good fit for me, but I’ve never tried it before. Now is as good a time as any to try it.

So, there you have it, friends. If you are setting writing goals, I’d love the opportunity to support you and encourage you this year.

Here’s to a peaceful, productive 2021.

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.